Christianity Oasis Forum

[Netchaplain]

Decided to share some commentary concerning “heresies” from “false teachers” (v 1):
“Through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” I believe this phrase is the same as many other passages like Heb 10:26 – “receiving the knowledge of the truth” i.e. Gospel. I think if this intended to mean receiving or accepting the truth of the Gospel, and not just the knowledge of it, this would be stated differently, because Scripture is directly plain when the subject concerns being saved, redeemed or reborn. Thus, it is more hermeneutically reasonable that “the knowledge of the Lord” intends only the knowledge of the Lord is learned, received or discovered, but not His Gospel and Himself received.


“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world”: “these, men may escape, abstain from, and outwardly reform, with respect unto, and yet be destitute of the grace of God; so that this can be no instance of the final and total apostasy of real saints; for the house may be swept and garnished with an external reformation; persons may be outwardly righteous before men, have a form of godliness and a name to live, and yet be dead in trespasses and sins.”
“By which ‘knowledge’ is meant, not a spiritual experimental knowledge of Christ, for that is eternal life, the beginning, pledge, and earnest of it; but a notional knowledge of Christ, or a profession of knowledge of Him, for it may be rendered "acknowledgment"; or rather the Gospel of Christ, which, being only notionally received, may have such an effect on men, as outwardly to reform their lives, at least in some instances, and for a while, in whose hearts it has no place.”

–J Gill


I strongly recommend viewing the entirety of Gill’s commentary on 2Peter 2! https://www.christianity.com/bible/comm ... l&b=61&c=2